?5 

.H6W5 






BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE COLONEL'S 
LITTLE GAME." 




m 



HE WINNING O'T 



BY 



^'HUMPTY DUMPTY," 

President of the Eastern Amateur Press Association) first 
Vice-President of the National Amateur Press As— • 
sociation, and Author of upwards of a Thous- 
and Popular Tales and Sketches, 



jut o vri^o : 

'None but the brave deserve the fair.' 



PKICE TEN CENTS. 



MEMPHIS, TENN. 

W. L. STTRIPIRISIElI, Publisher. 

307 Kayburn Avenue. 

1876- 



<s$ 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 
1876, by 

AV. L. SURPRISE, 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Wash- 
ington, D. C. 



DEDICATION. 

In admiration of the pluck and en- 
ergy displayed in the publication and 
management of that splendid journal, 
"the youthful enterprise," and in 
acknowledgment of the pleasure the 
reading of that brilliant serial, ' 'joe ; 
or, stolen from home," afforded 
me, to 

MISS L. LIBBIE ADAMS, 

"NETTIE SPARKLE," 

These'pages are most cheerfully dedi- 
cated. The Author. 



BY WAY 'OF PREFACE. 



" The Wooing O't" is all very nice, 
but like all good things, it gets monoto- 
nous after a while, and the "wooers" 
would like to know where The "Win- 
ning O't" conies in. It don't come in 
as often now-a-days as it used to ; but 
my heroes and ;heroines are always in 
dead earnest, and it never takes much 
"Wooing O't" to come to the "Winning 
O't." 

I worked out the plot of the present 
story about three years ago into a sketch 
entitled "Lillie's Hero," which the 
Buckeye Boy purchased, but never pub- 
lished, having lost the MSS. After the 
demise of that excellent journal, I ven- 
tured to re-write it, and in the ambition 
of my youth, presented it for examina- 
tion to the Editor of Munro's Fireside 
Companion, Mr. Howard. To my grat- 
ification, it was duly accepted. I had 
$2 00 marked on it as the price, and in 
accordance therewith, I presented my 
bill to that effect to Mr. Geo. Munro, a 



Preface. 



disagreeable, weazen-faced man, with 
an air of "pay, old fellow ; you can't 
help yourself; the thing's accepted" 
But instead of producing the amount 
of the bill, I was gently (?) shown into 
the street. 

I was too discouraged after that to re- 
write "Lillie's Hero," but I venture 
upon my task to-day, with the excep- 
tion of christening "the old, old story" 
with a more "winning" title. 

So much for the history ; and now 
for the story; I hope it won't prove a 
hiss-story. 

Truly, 

"HUMPTY DUMPTY." 

Hoboken, N. J , July 2o, '76. 



THE 

WINNING O'T! 



BY "HUMPTY DUMPTY." 




OU'VEall heard of old 
Judge Abercrombie ; 
he was a fine old gentleman, 
of the rich old stock. You 
know he used to live up 
along the Hudson, on the 
Highlands, on one of the most beau- 
tiful spots on earth. Well, he lives 
there still. The old, vine-elad man- 
sion, with its blooming gardens and 
meads and silent forests encircling 
it, stands to-day as it stood there 
fifty years ago. 



The Winning O't. 



But, of course, there had been lots 
of improvements made on the old 
homestead. Little Sadie Abercrom- 
bie who, fifteen years ago, only need- 
ed a space for the cradle in the old 
folks' bedchamber, now had a dormi- 
tory of her own, besides a boudoir 
and a cosy sitting room to chat away 
the weary afternoon with her friends 
who happened to call. 

At first, these friends were all 
girls, mostly healthy, romping coun- 
try girls, but, of late, a gentleman 
would now and then make his ap- 
pearance in the little sitting room — 
in company with the other visitors, 
of course, because old Mrs. Aber- 
crombie didn't stand any nonsense, 
you know — and pretty soon the old 
folks had to make up their mind 
that Sadie was wanted. 

Sadie was eighteen years of age ; 
a tall, queenly, graceful girl, with 



The Winning O't. 



great, lustrous, winning eyes and 
all that sort of things ; but what 
suited most of her admirers best, a 
handsome annuity in her own name 
from a traditional East India undo, 
besides the best prospects in the 
case of the death of the old Judge. 

Sadie, being the only child, had of 
course, been spoiled, and was there- 
fore dreadfully self-willed. She 
couldn't, for the life of her, choose 
from among the number of butter- 
flies that hovered about her. 

There was Lord de Flukey, with 
his " aw " in " chawming " and simi- 
lar murders of the Anglo-Saxon, a 
light haired, one- eye- glassed, mid- 
dle-parted, three- silk- handkerchiev- 
ed "admirer;" then there was the 
Hon. Slotewell Barde, with his hair 
combed Popocatapetl fashion, his 
chin neither clean shaven nor beard- 
ed, and two fingers of his one hand 



io The Winning O't. 

ever argumentatorily resting in his 
other hand; there were lots of otHers 
but they weren't Sadie's kind, you 
know. 

If you dont know, I'll tell you 
why. She'd been reading "Romeo 
and Juliet," "The Lady of Lyons" 
and other similar heart - rending 
gloat-overs for fanciful young maid- 
ens; furthermore, she had swallow- 
ed Don Quixote fashion, all the old 
tales of chivalry and romances in 
existence. And she had made up 
her mind that she must be won, 
romance-fashion. Not by a mon- 
ey-bagged English snob going to 
her father with : 

" Aw, I lowe your chawming 
daughter; bow much?" 

Or an old sinner like the Hon. 
Barde with : 

" Gentlemen — beg pardon, I mean 
—my dear sir, I cannot refrain, ah, 



The Winning O't. ii 

in short, it gives me — to be brief, I 
love your daughter: how much does 
she get?" 

"How much?" indeed! No, my 
dear sirs, Sadie wasn't to be bought; 
Sadie wanted a heroic rescue from a 
horrible fate, or some such thing as 
that, and then, clasped in a fainting 
fit in her rescuer's arm, he could 
give her the lover's first kiss, and 
the thing would be settled. 

Now there was Bob Adams, the 
banker's son, who lived across the 
river for the summer. She had often 
thought how nice it would be if Bob 
could rescue her some day from 
drowning. In fact, she went so far 
one day as to offer to take him out 
in her pretty little boat, and he read- 
ily enough consented. And when 
they had gone a ways from home, 
she paddled nearer shore, and before 
Bob, poor fellow, could realize what 



The Winning O't. 



had happened, he found himself 
floundering in the water. Sadie 
had tipped the boaU She then re- 
signed herself into crying franti- 
cally for help : 

"Save me, or I drown," and so 
forth. But unfortunately, the water 
happened to be so shallow on that 
spot that 3 7 ou could lay on bottom 
without inconvenience to comforta- 
ble breathing, and the adventure 
ended in the disconsolate heroine 
wading ingloriously ashore, leaving 
her companion to recover the boat 
and oars. 

Bob Adams was sharp enough to 
see through the little game, espe- 
cially as he loved Sadie. For al- 
though they say love is blind, give 
me a lover to detect the tender pas- 
sion in the object of his admiration. 

And Bob Adams went home to 
read all the tales of chivalry in his 



The Winning O't. 13 

father's library for purposes which 
will presently become apparent. 

In the meanwhile Lord de Flukey 
had obtained papa's consent to go 
and woo the lovely Sadie, beating 
the Hon. Barde's offer by $10,000.00. 
But the Hon. Barde was not easily 
discouraged and determined to wage 
a bitter war with My lord for their 
mutual idol. 

On the following day, a most mag- 
nificent one, Sadie and My lord 
might have been seen wending their 
way from the Abercrombie mansion 
into the forest on the west, he all 
attention and fervor, she refreshingly 
cool and naughty. 

"Aw, Sad — aw, beg pardon — Miss 
Abercwombie, this is a weally fine 
day." 

"Oh, do you think so?" 
"Indeed 1 do, considewing. " 



14 The Winning O't. 

"My lord, do you like cheese." 

" Good gwacious, what a question, 
Miss Abercwombie, " exclaimed My 
lord, "well, I weally don't know. 

" Does your father like cheese. " 

" Weally, now, I don't know. He 
did have a weakness fow Chestaw I 
admit." 

"That was indeed a weakness — 
but gracious, whom have we here?" 

This latter remark was occasioned 
by their suddenly coming upon a 
form which " lay in slumbers on the 
green " beneath the shade of a grand 
old oak. 

The form started up. 

" TheHonowable Slotewell Bawde 
I do declare. " 

" The same, My lord. Miss Aber- 
crombie ; I beg your pardon; I — " 

"Pray dont apologize; so this is 
the manner in which you pass your 



The Winning O't. 15 

mornings, " Sadie interrupted him 
with. 

" This is an exception — but it was 
so deucedly warm ; I started out on 
a little walk, and as the poet has it, 
'surrendering freely to the apathy.' " 

"Pray don't tax yourself. Mr. 
Barde; it is so, deucedly warm ' you 
know. " 

» And then the three walked on, 
Sadie between them, the "Hon." on 
one side, and My lord on the other. 

If the reader imagines that this a 
chance meeting, he is very much mis- 
taken. Barde, the knowing rascal, 
had followed them from the house all 
the way, his senatorial breast heav- 
ing with green- eyed-monstered emo- 
tion ; and then he slipped ahead and 
composed himself in a sleeping atti- 
tude, right in their path. 

But I must not give my Senator too 
much credit, ever as a plotter. Be- 



T 6 The Winning O't, 



fore this attempt at slumbering list- 
lessly, he had most miserably failed 
in asimilar attempt. A * on this occa- 
sion, he laid himself in their path, 
but Sadie noticing him, and guessing 
his object, had turned aside, and 
paid no attention whatever to his 
frantic endeavors to attract their 
attention by vigorously snoring and 
hivffaing and similar expedients. 
And he was forced to arouse him- 
self and like the boy in the time-hon- 
ored poetical injunction, "try again." 
This time, Sadie had taken pity 
on him, and noticed him, much to 
his satisfaction. But this pity con- 
sisted more in a morbid and cruel 
desire to annoy My lord than in any 
humane feeling. 

"You are looking uncommonly 
well this morning, Miss Abercrom- 
bie," the Senator. 

My lord frowned. She abstractedly 



The Winning O't. 17 



"Are you speaking to me My 
lord?" 

" Aw, yes I was," My lord sweetly. 

"No, I was," the Senator, indig- 
nantly. 

"Oh, were you ?" she, listlessly, 
"do you mean to say that I don't 
look well, as a general thing ?" This 
more spiritedly. 

"Why no, Miss; ah, I beg pardon; 
upon my word now," and the poor 
Senator was ready to fall upon his 
knees and crave forgiveness. 

"Aw, aw, got you there, Senator," 
smiled My lord 

But suddenly his smile changed 
into an expression of extreme hor- 
ror, while the Senator turned livid 
and remained rooted to the spot. 
Sadie, too, was transfixed. 

From out of the bushes there 
sprang half a dozen rough, uncouth, 



The Winning O't. 



villainous looking fellows, with black 
masks drawn over their faces, and 
armed to the teeth. 

One of them pointed a seven- 
shooter at My lord with the words 
fiercely yelled out : 

"Your money or your life ; come 
now, trot out, or I'll give you a 
task of some cold lead !" 

My lord shook like an aspen leaf. 

"G-ood gwacious, sir ; y-yes, wight 
away ; but I say, don't point that 
thing at me ; it might go off;" with 
an expression of horror. 

"So it will, if you don't hurry up." 

My lord, trembling in every limb, 
and his classic face blanched with 
terror, delivered over his wallet and 
valuables. 

"And now let's see you travel," 
continued the ruffian, pointing the 
pistol at his head again. 



The Winning O't. 



Lord de Flukey unhesitatingly 
turned upon his heel and fled, with- 
out a thought of his fair companion. 

In the meanwhile, another ruffian 
had compelled our Senator to deliver 
up also, and sent him flying off in 
an opposite direction, firing a shot 
over his head by way of effect. 

Sadie was just thinking how nice 
it would be if My lord or the Sena- 
tor should turn out to be her rescu- 
er in this strait ; but when she saw 
their cowardice and deliberate fright, 
she was forced to come to the con- 
clusion that she must be her own 
rescuer, and being a determined girl, 
she turned right about face and ran 
for dear life. 

But she had not gone many paces, 
before one of the ruffians was upon 
her and caught her in his arms. 

"Unhand me, wretch," she scream- 
ed, in the height of distress. 



The Winning O't. 



''Oho, not so fast, my beauty," 
chuckled the villain, clasping her 
tighter. 

She struggled bravely, but in vain. 
The other ruffians, with their spoils 
in their hands, gathered about her 
and laughed aloud over the success 
of their expedition. 

"And now, Jim," said one, who 
appeared to be their leader, "you 
lead on wUh the girl. Greg, you 
help him. We must have her safe 
at the 'Boost' by noon. The major 
'11 pay us handsomely for this. 
Come on." 

She tried to cry out, but Jim 
stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth, 
and he and Greg secured her safely, 
and proceeded to drag her off. 

But suddenly a vigorous "halt!" 
rang through the silence of the for- 
est, and- the next moment, a tall, 
manly figure stepped into view. 



The Winning O't. 



Sadie threw a glance of unuttera- 
ble anguish at him, and then one of 
joy and recognition. 

"Bob Adams 1" She wanted to 
cry out, but she couldn't. 

It was indeed he. In either hand 
he held a revolver. In a moment 
they were cocked and leveled at the 
villains. 

■'Eelease that lady !" he cried. 

"What's the matter with you ?" 
inquired Jim, coolly. 

"You won't obey me ?" 

"You'd better go home and tell 
your mother she wants you," laugh- 
ed Greg. 

"I'll give you just five seconds to 
unhand that lady," and Bob set his 
teeth hard. 

The leader of the gang frowned 
heavily ; then suddenly drew forth 
a revolver and fired at the coura- 
geous young man. 



The Winning O't. 



The shot missed. The next mo- 
ment there was another report, and 
with a groan, the leader fell heavily 
to the ground. 

The others now drew their knives 
and revolvers and charged upon Bob 
in a body. A score of shots were 
exchanged, and two more of the 
ruffians fell. Bob was still unhurt. 
Then a fourth of the gang lay wel- 
tering in his blood, and a^t renewed 
shots from Bob, the two others fled 
into the woods. 

Sadie had watched the struggle 
with bated breath and heart stand- 
ing still, and now that it was over, 
her strength gave way ; she lost her 
senses and fell in a dead faint — into 
Bob's arms. 

"Won, by G-eorge !" he exclaimed, 

triumphantly, as he bent over her. 

"Yes, that was the winning o't. 



The Winning O't. 23 

Bob dragged her away from the 
scene of action to a neighboring 
brook, where he Boon brought her 
back to consciousness. 

The poor fallen ruffians, as soon 
as the couple was out of sight, arose, 
and went off arm-in-arm, laughing 
aloud. Could Sadie have seen them 
without their masks, she would 
have recognized them friends of 
Bob and herself, whom the former 
had persuaded to enact these parts 
for him. 

The reader can guess the finale. 
My lord and the- Senator often boast- 
ed of their gallant defence, but were 
effectually hushed when, on the 
wedding day of Bob and Sadie, they 
were the recipients of the valuables 
that had been robbed from them 
"with the compliments of Eobert 
Adams." 



24 The Winning O't. 



And then, mentally cursing their 
luck, they saw through the win- 
ning o't and left for parts unknown. 



THE END. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




